Esperanza Spalding Named Artistic & Community Ambassador

PDX Jazz, the presenting organization of the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Portland Jazz Festivalpresented by U.S. Bank, announce the appointment of Esperanza Spalding as Artistic & Community Ambassador.Â The celebrated bassist, vocalist, composer and bandleader will officially begin her newly appointed position effective October 14 at the kick-off press conference for the 2011 festival to be held February 18 through 27 in downtown Portland, Oregon.

States the Portland native, “I feel blessed to be able to come back to my home town which has offered me so much inspiration and nourished me and my artistic pursuits. I am looking forward to sharing what I can offer to the Portland arts community.”

Spalding will be on-hand doing community outreach around the press conference and will return to perform February 25 at the Newmark Theatre inside the Portland Center for the Performing Arts. Among her community activities will be participation in the festival’s centerpiece education event sponsored by the Portland Trail Blazers, The Incredible Journey of Jazz, a week-long middle-school program celebrating Black History Month curated by Spalding’s former Portland State University professor, Darrell Grant.

“We could not be more pleased to have Esperanza involved with our festival, and to be an integral part of the PDX Jazz team,” states Artistic Director Bill Royston.Â “Her ongoing roles will be to both consult with us artistically and to assist in providing new directions in future programming, as well as for Esperanza to return to her Portland roots and generate new community outreach opportunities.Â Her presence in re-connecting with local musicians and educators will serve as a vital component to future planning.Â At the same time, Esperanza will serve as a PDX Jazz ambassador as she travels worldwide in developing and performing her music.”